So, first things first. Dot doesn't move. For that, you need to buy the Dot Dash.
I should note that nowhere on the product page does it say that Dot moves, but it's a robot. I have that layperson expectation that a robot will move. It doesn't walk. It doesn't roll. It doesn't move.
Keeping that in mind, though, this is a pretty neat robot. (Yes, it's still a robot!)
Your child will need a device. Mine set up the app on her iPad. You can also set it up on Kindle and Android devices. Using the app, your child can code Dot to do all sorts of fun (and loud) things. The kit includes 20 project cards. With these, your child can easily code Dot to do pranks, to play games, and even guard their room.
You also get all sorts of accessories to customize Dot. These are more for fun than for function. You can make Dot look a certain way to match the coding you do.
Using the app, your child can also experiment with the coding. They'll get a response from Dot, though not always the one they expect.
As for the coding, the Blockly app doesn't require reading, so your pre or beginning readers will be fine. It's a fun intro to coding as they discover exactly how they can program Dot to behave the way they want.
Note that Dot is loud. Last night, I had a headache and my daughter had Dot chattering and whistling and generally making a ton of noise. I wanted to throw Dot against a wall or give it to the Dog as a really high tech dog toy. I didn't, but I wanted to.
It's clever. It's cute. I wish it moved. Oh, and I wish it was utterly and completely silent.
I am a big fan of the Dash and Dot robots. We started with Dot when they first came out under the premise that he was so cheap that even if it wasn't great, we wouldn't be out a lot of money. He turned out to be great and we ended up out a lot of money though, as we had to get Dash and some of the kits to go along with them because our kids were enjoying them so much and learning so much.
That's where this Creativity Kit comes in - to save you some money on the kits. By getting Dot and the Creativity kit as a package, you save a good bit of money. The kit is nicely packaged with an excellent unboxing experience. The "start here" card makes it easy even if you have never seen Dash or Dot and it is also great even if you have seen them.
There are 20 project cards that are like recipes to tell you what projects you can do with Dot and the provided goodies, everything from magic eightball to Dot Potato and more. It is a really well-done, nice kit. And most of the accessories are quality - even many of the paper ones, like the octopus, are quality, thick paper that will hold up to use.
But then there are the ones that aren't. I'm not sure WHY Wonder Workshop included the "straps" made of thin paper that tear almost instantly in this kit - where it not for those, it would be a perfect five star kit - as it is, I'm giving 4.5 stars and rounding up - as there are other ways around it - like using rubber bands and tape. But whoever decided to cheap-out on that one part of the kit really sold the whole thing short.
Still, in the end, Dash and Dot are easily the best STEM Robots available at a fair price out there. And this kit gives you a GREEN Dot with lots of goodies and projects for a very slight premium over the standard set, so I would highly recommend it.
My six year old loves this robot. The programs are challenging, but solvable for him. He does need my help to read through some of the instructions and help along at times. It's great for us and has gotten us to interact as a parent and child. I think this is great for the non-programmers. There is no coding involved. It's more about steps and sequences to get Dot to perform a particular action. It's at the appropriate level for my kid and also for my level of patience. I don't find it frustrating or difficult, so I'm never at a loss for words to describe what is going on to my child. If you're looking for something less interactive for a parent, this would be good for an older child/a child with well developed reading skills.
OK, this little guy is amazingly cute, especially after he's dressed up. Or she. It's a little robot and androgynous - the voice can pass for a boy or girl.
I'll start off with why 4 stars - the app. It's next to impossible to use with a cell phone, and most of the compatible devices ARE cell phones. You need a tablet. Otherwise the text is too small, and when "programming" the Dot, it's next to impossible to drag connections/commands - way too much screen clutter and teeny tiny fonts and icons. Whatever device you use has to have Bluetooth 4 or higher, AND needs to be pretty beefy. I tried this on a $50 tablet, dual core. Would not even run. Tried it on a $75 quad core older tablet - ran so slow it was impossible to use. So you need a decent piece of newer tech. We tried my GF's cell phone - a $100 Boost Mobile smart phone - and it worked great. The screen was way too small, but it worked. You really need at LEAST 7" of screen space. 8 or more would be better, especially if you plan on programming. See their website for compatible devices - the list is SHORT. But - I found that anything with Bluetooth 4 or above works. They even have limited support for Amazon Fire tablets.
Programming: It's all drag and drop, icon based. There are great project tutorials and you can do quite a bit. Your kid learns and has fun. This is really the strong suit. We LOVE the programming. Downside: You can't do any of this until you complete the tutorials.
Customizing: Colors, sounds, attitude. All from the app. Plus you can record 10 custom phrases AND use these in the programming. If you use a high-pitched voice, you can sound just like the Dot.
Accessories: Really make this thing even cuter. The tentacle thing cover is great.
It's stationary but "smart": Think of a Furby without even it's limited movement. The Dot sits there. And talks, changes color and makes noise. Reacts to sound and motion.
There's a lot to like about this gadget. You can help/work with your kids customizing it, your kids can program it solo, the 10 recorded messages. It teaches logic. Just use a tablet - a phone will be far too frustrating. One more tip - set it up before you have your child use it. There's a required update that takes around 10-20 minutes. This means that your phone/tablet and the Dot need to be charged, and that your kid will be bored and frustrated waiting around doing nothing. The next step after the update is naming the Dot. That's where the fun can start.
My 7 year old daughter loves playing with Dot. She spends a lot of time trying different fun things with her and loves the Wonder app on my tablet. So much to do and lots of opportunity to learn coding skills.
Feature Product
- Dot is a clever, quirky robot ready to play out of the box
- Multiple sensors and loads of Tech make dot a real robot
- 20 Project cards are included 20 Project cards are included to play games like robot-enabled Duck Duck Goose or hot Dotato
- Customize dot with stickers and costumes, then program a matching story
- Use DOT with the include accessories to construct a mood lamp or Code A personal room Sentry to guard against intruders
- Dot is for ages 6+ and works with iOS, Android and Kindle mobile devices
- 2017 parents choice Gold award winner
Description
Dot is a clever little robot with multiple sensors and a quirky personality that powers the do-it-yourself projects in the new dot creativity kit. Kids will learn about robotics and develop fundamental coding and problem-solving skills while having fun. Dot's projects range from crafting, active play, to storytelling and construction.
Awesome. Starts out easy and gets harder the more you use it. Keeps my son engaged. Our school district recently purchased these for classrooms. It keeps kids learning while having fun. I would say its a little hard for a 5 year old to do the workshop, but its still fun for them to play with. 7 is the perfect age to play with as intended with the workshop. I have noticed that even though my son(7)can read, its easier for him to comprehend the lesson by reading the directions out loud. My Girls(7&6)on the other hand haven’t had too many issues reading and doing this on their own.
Great product. A huge hit with my 9 year old. She loved it so much, we got Dash a month or so later, and she uses both together frequently. Easy to use immediately, but can grow along with kids' understanding and ability to create more complex programming. Lots of fun!
This little guy can be a joy for kids. Biggest plus point is the size and weight. I also bought dash but my kid prefers carrying him around coz he is light and easy and better attitude than dash
My kids won a Dash robot at a science fair and I bought them this Dot robot for Christmas. They love playing with it and have lots of fun with it.
My 5 yr old daughter loves this. It's wonderful that we now have ways to get girls interested in STEM, especially at a young age.
0 comments:
Post a Comment